The Prodigy of Medium Valley
by nekonohime
Summary: Pearl finds a mysterious letter addressed to Maya from her mother Morgan, containing very revealing things about her intentions for her. What will happen when Pearl confronts Maya about the letter? Oneshot.


_**This story takes place two years before the events of Apollo Justice. It accounts what happened when Pearl discovered her mother's true feelings and intentions for her. Much like my last oneshot with Wocky, this will also be written in first person.**_

July 2, 2024, 1:50 PM

Kurain Village- Fey Manor

There are some events in your life that you just don't forget. Events that your cherish and hold near and dear to your heart. However, there are some events that you'd rather lock away and forget about forever. The day I found out that someone close to me had betrayed me was one of those days. Even to this day it is still hard for me to forget all of the painful memories. But now, I think it's best that I let my feelings out now.

It all started when I was helping Mystic Maya do some chores around the manor. The day before, it was my fifteenth birthday and we were still cleaning things up from the party. It was a lovely affair, but I couldn't help but notice that something was missing from it. I couldn't quite put my finger on it. I pondered it for ages, but nothing came to me.

"Pearly?" I heard Mystic Maya's voice say, "What's wrong?"

I looked up at her. She was carrying a trash bag full of party streamers and popped balloons, looking at me in concern. I wondered why so I began to ask her.

"What do you mean, Mystic Maya? I'm just fine."

Mystic Maya knew I was lying. She always could tell by my face and my body language. She put the bag down and sat in a chair next to me.

"Pearly, I know there's something wrong with you. Now tell me, what's bothering you?"

I refused to tell her. I didn't want her to know why I was upset. I didn't want to bring up... _Her_.

"I really don't want to talk about it, Mystic Maya", I said as I walked out of the room and headed to my bedroom.

I wanted so much to get away from the situation, but I knew eventually Mystic Maya was going to force it out of me. I shut the door and sat on my bed when I got there. My mind was reeling at the events that went on yesterday. I began to think back at what happened.

_One day earlier..._

I remember all of my family and friends were at the party, including Mr. Nick and Trucy. The party itself went very well. It was pretty much that night when things started to go wrong. I had been walking down the hallway of the manor to do some chores in the living area. When I got there, I stumbled upon a sheet of paper sticking out of one of the drawers. I was curious, so I decided to take a look at it.

It turned out to be a handwritten letter from my mother, Morgan Fey. I knew this because I recognized her handwriting anywhere. However, I thought it was strange that someone had been hiding this. I noticed that it was addressed to Mystic Maya, so I decided that I should take it to her. But there was something that held me back from doing so. I wanted to know what she had said to her. I then took a breath and began to read the letter to myself.

_Maya Fey:_

_It's been quite a while since we've last spoken, hasn't it? You're just letting your poor old aunt sit here in jail all alone. But you don't care about me, do you? You're just a selfish brat that gets whatever she wants. You don't deserve to be the Master of Kurain. You're just like my foolish and naive sister Misty. Well, what can I say, she's your mother, isn't she? _

_I suffered for so long. I was the one who was supposed to get that Master's seat, but since I was shunned by everyone in the village for having less spiritual power than your mother, it was she that was crowned the Master. You have no idea how much pain I felt after that. My daughters Dahlia and Iris were useless. Their father took them away from me once he realized that I was powerless. Though they were just as powerless as I so not much loss for me._

_And then, I gave birth to my shining beacon of light, my one chance of claiming my rightful place in the Main Family. Pearl. My precious Pearl. She was born with incredible spiritual power, far surpassing my own. I was determined to raise her to become the best she could be, so I could overthrow you and put Pearl in your place. Pearl is much more capable of being the Master than yourself, Maya Fey. She's perfect. _

_It's just too bad that all of my attempts to vanquish you failed. Your blue suited attorney caused me to fail. I wish you would rot in the pits of hell, Maya Fey. If Pearl knows any better she should take the seat from you herself! But she's has no idea of my intentions for her, does she? It was because of you that she's strayed off the path of becoming the Master. You've convinced her that you are the true Master. _

_Let me just finish with this, Maya Fey: My darling Pearl will always be better than you in every single way. You, my sister, Mia, Dahlia and Iris. All of you are failures. The only hope for this family is Pearl. Pearl is the only one that can save the family. Heed my words well, Maya Fey. You will learn someday._

_Morgan Fey._

When I finished reading the letter, I was sick to my stomach. Did Mother really write this cruel letter to Mystic Maya? And was Mystic Maya the one that hid this letter? I could not believe that Mother would ever say these things about her. And her saying that I was the only light of hope for the family? It really confused and upset me.

I wanted to ask Mystic Maya about this letter, but I thought it was best that I didn't. I took the letter and hid it inside of my kimono and walked out of the room with it. When I got back to my room and read over and over again, trying to grasp what it was saying. I couldn't understand... I thought Mother loved Mystic Maya, I even remember her saying so. If this letter was true, why did she have to lie to her?

I decided to go to bed after that, however the words in Mother's letter kept ringing in my ears over and over again.

_Present time..._

I took the letter back out from out of my desk drawer. It was crumpled up from having been in my pocket, but it was still readable. I still wasn't sure if I wanted Mystic Maya to see it, because I thought she would get mad at me for finding it. Because somehow, I think she was the one that hid it from me. It was obvious. As I read the letter once again, I began to have tears flowing from my eyes as I still couldn't believe that Mother was the one that wrote this.

"Why did you write this letter?" I said to myself, "Why, Mother, why?"

As I continued to cry, I heard footsteps coming from down the hall. I quickly rubbed my eyes and threw the letter back into my drawer. I knew that was Mystic Maya coming to check on me, because I soon heard the doorknob turn. The door finally open and Mystic Maya stepped into the door frame.

"Pearly?" She said to me, "I'm really worried about you. You've been acting strangely since last night. Please..."

She then sat down next to me and put her hand on my shoulder.

"Please, Pearly, just tell me what's wrong. I'm always here for you, don't you know that?"

I nodded softly as I looked up at her. I really didn't want to tell her about the letter, I really didn't. But I knew if I didn't she'd ask me what's wrong with me forever.

"... Mystic Maya", I said to her finally, trying to hold back tears, "I... While I was cleaning last night, I..."

I then very slowly and reluctantly got up and headed to my drawer and got the letter back out. I then turned back to her and held the piece of paper close to my chest.

"... I found this sticking out of a drawer. I decided to read it and... It was a letter from Mother. And she... She was..."

I then burst into tears as I said, "She was saying terrible things about you!"

Mystic Maya looked at me in shock and bewilderment.

"Pearly... I..."

Her voice shook as she tried to tell me something, but struggled. It was clear that she didn't want to tell me the truth about that letter. She didn't want me to know that Mother meant the words she said in that letter.

"It's time I told you the truth, Pearly", She finally said, "I've kept it hidden from you for much too long."

I gulped and feared for the worst. However, I pretty much expected the worst already. I had my eyes dead center on Mystic Maya as she told me about Mother.

"Aunt Morgan... She isn't the woman you think she is, Pearly. I really hate to say it, but... She is a cold hearted, twisted and evil woman."

I felt very heartbroken that I actually heard those words come out of her mouth. My lip trembled as I tried to respond, but I simply couldn't. I was too shocked to even utter a sound.

"And her relationship with Mom... It was rocky. It pretty much started when Mom was chosen to become the Master instead of Aunt Morgan. And well... She didn't take it too well. That is, until Mom disappeared from the village. After that, Aunt Morgan decided that she was going to get the power that she claimed she deserved."

"After Dahlia and Iris were taken away from her, she began these plots for power. I'm not really sure about what she had done back then, since I was only a baby at the time of course. However, one thing that really got her going on this plot..."

She then hung her head in sadness, and then she looked right into my eyes, almost brimming with tears.

"... Was when you were born."

I gasped, though deep inside of my heart I had a feeling that it was true from what I saw in that letter.

"How... How was I used for this plot, Mystic Maya? How could I do anything?"

"You know of your great spiritual power, right?" She asked me.

I nodded. I was known as the Prodigy of Medium Valley. Though right now, I was beginning to not really feel too proud of that title. I put my hands in my lap as Mystic Maya continued to talk.

"Well, Aunt Morgan wanted to take advantage of your power. You were the pawn in her plan, to be perfectly frank. And since Mom left the village and I was next in line to be the Master... She was determined to get rid of me to put you in my place."

I began to shake as I tried to hold back my tears. There was no way that any of this could be true. I thought Mother loved me just like any mother would. I never thought of her to be like this. Not ever in my wildest dreams. My worst feeling had finally come true.

"Mystic Maya", I said, "W-Why... Why did Mother want to do this? Why?"

"I don't know Pearly", Mystic Maya said sadly, "I guess Aunt Morgan was so jealous over Mom being the Master that she was willing to do anything to get herself into the Main Family. It's sad, I know. I know you must be very heartbroken Pearly... To have found all of this out, and so randomly too..."

I then heard Mystic Maya curse under her breath and mutter something about burning the letter. She then turned back to face me.

"You were lucky that Aunt Morgan was sent to jail when she was", She continued, "Because if I wasn't around to protect you... Things would have turned out a lot worse for you. It makes me sad that Aunt Morgan wanted to shape you into some..."

She then gritted her teeth. I could tell she was angry at Mother for what she did.

"Mother was trying to shape me into something?" I asked.

"Yes", Mystic Maya answered, "Aunt Morgan she... She just wanted you to be some mindless drone! She wanted you to be as perfect as possible. She was so obsessed with making you the Master... That's why she always wanted you to speak in such a polite manner. That's why she was so strict with you about everything. Because she was trying to make you perfect."

Me, perfect? As much as some might want to say, I most certainly did not see myself as perfect.

"Is that really true, Mystic Maya? I always thought Mother was doing all of that because she wanted me to succeed as a medium. I didn't know that she was actually training me to be the Master..."

"Of course you didn't, Pearly! You were only a kid back then! And now that you're getting older and Aunt Morgan has been out of you life, you've gotten a lot better!"

I tilted my head in confusion and asked, "How did I get... Better?"

"Pearly", She said, "When Aunt Morgan was around, she sheltered you so much! You didn't know anything outside of the village! All you knew about was your medium training! And you were so... I'm sorry to be so blunt... Clueless. It was until you started hanging out with Nick and I that you started learning more about the world."

I sat for a moment and pondered what Mystic Maya had said. She was right. Before I had met Mr. Nick, all I did every day was study and train. I really had no life outside of channeling and the village. I had very little knowledge of the outside world. I remember when I first met him, I didn't speak to him at all, because Mother always told me to never trust anyone outside of the village. But when he revealed that he was Mystic Maya's partner, I really began to loosen up.

"Mystic Maya... A lot of scary things have been happening lately. First, Mr. Nick being disbarred five years ago due to having false evidence... And now... Mother having had ill intentions for me?"

Mystic Maya hugged me at that moment. She could see the pain in my eyes after hearing all of this information.

"Don't worry, Pearly", She said, "Things will get better! Hopefully Nick will retake the Bar Exam and he'll get his attorney's license back! You don't have to worry about Aunt Morgan anymore, though, since she's paying for her sins in jail. Don't let all this negative energy consume you, Pearly... You don't want to end up like Dahlia, do you?"

I shivered at the sound of my sister's name. Dahlia Hawthorne was a very scary woman who murdered several people and even attempted to murder Mr. Nick. Her actions were spawned due to the influence of Mother and her father. I didn't want to end up like her. I wanted a better life than that.

"No, of course not. She ended up the way she did because she let all the bad things in her life consume her, to the point where it corrupted her. That's the last thing I want to happen to me."

"Well, as long as Mr. Nick and I are around, we will not let that happen."

Mystic Maya stood up and offered her hand to me. I took it and I got off of my bed and I put my hands behind my back.

"I'm grateful that you and Mr. Nick are here in my life", I said with a smile brimming with tears, "I have learned so many things from you over the years. I feel like I have become a better person thanks to you. From this point forward I will be diligent and not let anything get me down. I will broaden my horizons and explore the world outside of Kurain."

"Aww, Pearly", Mystic Maya said as she began to cry as well, "Don't make me cry!"

She embraced me again briefly and then beckoned me to follow her outside.

"I think this calls for a trip to town for a burger. What do you say?"

"Alright, Mystic Maya! But I'll just get a kid's meal!"

Mystic Maya laughed at my comment.

"Pearl, you're fifteen now! You can get a regular sized meal if you want!"

"Alright, then!"

We then walked to the bus stop to catch the train to town to our favorite burger shop. That day, I learned a lot of things that I didn't know about my mother, but in the end, I learned not to let the bad things she did get me down. Instead, I will look to the future and wait for what it will bring.


End file.
